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Crockett pens new NZRU, ‘Saders deal

Date published: June 9 2015

All Blacks prop Wyatt Crockett has committed himself to the Crusaders and New Zealand Rugby for another three years, having re-signed through to the end of the 2018 season.

32-year-old Crockett has been a vital member of the Crusaders front row since 2006 and made his All Blacks debut in 2009. He was named the New Zealand Super Rugby Player of the Year in 2011 and has established himself as an All Blacks regular since 2013.

Crockett recently became the most capped-Crusader, surpassing Corey Flynn's record of 151 games, and is third on the all-time list.

He brings with him a wealth of international experience, starting with involvement in the NZ U19 team at the 2002 Junior World Cup, the U21 World Cup in Scotland in 2004, the Junior All Blacks teams of 2006 and 2007, and, of course, the 36 All Blacks Tests that he has played since 2009.

Crockett said he didn't hesitate in re-signing to stay in New Zealand.

"Canterbury, the Crusaders and the All Blacks have been my teams since day one," he told allblacks.com

"I can't imagine ever pulling on the jersey for any other teams, so I always knew that I would be playing out my rugby career here.

"I have been living my dream playing footy here and I feel so privileged to be able to continue living that dream for the next few years at least.

"I am really excited to be able to help the Crusaders re-establish themselves as a leading force in Super Rugby over the coming years and there are some incredibly exciting opportunities ahead with the All Blacks such as the upcoming Rugby World Cup and the Lions tour that I would love to have the chance to be a part of.

"Finally, I would like to take this opportunity to say a big thank you to all of those who have helped to make this possible, including my incredibly supportive family, my manager Warren Alcock, my team-mates in the Crusaders and the All Blacks, and all of the management and staff and the Crusaders and NZ Rugby for having faith in me."

All Blacks head coach Steve Hansen has welcomed the news – the latest in a number of re-signings for New Zealand – and congratulated Crockett on his decision.

"It's great to have a senior pro like him committing himself to New Zealand rugby," said Hansen.

"Crocky's been a loyal servant to New Zealand Rugby for many years now and been a great asset and team man not only in the All Blacks but also his Super team."

Crusaders head coach Todd Blackadder feels that Crockett's unfailing commitment to the teams he represents is one of the attributes that makes him such a popular and well-respected player.

"Wyatt is an outstanding player who brings such a useful skillset to the team," he said.

"He does the basics of a loosehead prop very well and has taken scrummaging to the next level, but he also has talents beyond the traditional skill set of a prop which allows us to use him almost as an additional loose forward.

"What I admire most about him though, is his passion for the team. He puts the team first every time and he brings out the best in his team-mates by setting his own high standards and leading by example both on and off the field.

"We are thrilled to have Crocky around for a few more years yet and to continue to have the positive influence on this team that he naturally does."